By IANS
Lucknow : With a view to giving zardosi (brocade embroidery) a big boost, the Uttar Pradesh government Friday decided to offer 25 percent subsidy on air freight for this much sought after handicraft.
“With demand for zardosi and chikan embroidery increasing across the West, the subsidy would enable even small-scale manufacturers to take their exquisite products across the globe,” said Atul Gupta, the state industrial development commissioner.
The move follows discussion on the issue at a workshop attended by artisans, traders and zardosi exporters under the aegis of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Uttar Pradesh Export Promotion Council here Thursday.
CII roped in well-known fashion and lifestyle designer P.J. Alexander from the Philippines who proposed to take the state’s zardosi to the leading international fashion destinations like London, Paris, Milan and New York.
Alexander was known for giving a similar boost to handicrafts from Orissa and some northeastern states through his designer inputs, thereby adding much value to those products.
“There were several areas in Uttar Pradesh where zardosi was undertaken in large pockets, essentially in the cottage industries sector. But so far, there were no incentives for those trying to expand their trade across the continents,” said Gupta.
Some of the areas identified for growth of chikan and zardosi embroidery were Lucknow, Rampur, Barielly, Farrukhabad, Barabanki and Bahraich.
He proposes to extend a similar package for at least half a dozen other handicrafts in order to give a push to hand made products in the state.
According to a central government survey, export of zari and zardosi products has gone up by more than 11 percent over the past one year.